Category Archives: 5 Reasons Why

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Just saying the “New Rules” songstress’ name plays out like a good ol’ time.

That’s because the UK-based former model-turned-singer-turned-chart-owner has been having a fabulous time touring the world and taking over music charts across the map thanks to her fiery self-titled debut set. And let’s not forget about those undeniably smoky-n-sassy vocals of hers, which have been all over seven charting album singles since the record’s release last year.

It also doesn’t hurt that she’s been taking over worldwide dance floors as well by becoming beat besties with thunder makers Martin Garrix, Major Lazer and most recently Calvin Harris, as the two are heating up the summer strobe lights with their deliciously deep romp, “One Kiss.”

It’s all yas when it comes to the booming world of Dua Lipa.

And although Mizz Lipa hasn’t owned the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 (yet), her future is looking wide open for a long, healthy slay in the music industry. So, whether you’re a total “New Rules” kween or have no idea who the hell she even is, here’s 5 ways to get all caught up with this red-hot and rising English Breakfast tea sipping diva-in-training.

1.Watch the video for “New Rules” on repeat…..some more……. What happens when you take a ridiculously catchy (and quite empowering) break up anthem, mix in lots of fabulous and fierce girl power with some sleek choreography and add it on top of a Miamibackdrop? You get all of the reasons why the video for what’s become her signature single has surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube. Yes.

2……and then do the same for “IDGAF”……. Double the Dua equals double the werk, especially when it comes to this slicked back, gender bending visual that you’ll wish you were a part of once you dive straight in.

3.Watch her slay Jimmy Kimmel…… Although Ms. Lipa doesn’t have a gaggle of backup dancers behind her with every performance like most pop divas out there today do, she still gets the job done with her shy, yet booming stage presence. Music case in point, this subtle, yet slaying performance of her debut single,”Be the One,” which as much you won’t be able to stop staring at those big ol’ chandelier earrings she’s rockin,’ this is another, um, one you won’t be able to get out of your damn head…

….and we love every minute of it.

4.Read this British GQ article……. “For a female artist, it takes a lot more to be taken seriously if you’re not sat down at a piano or with a guitar, you know? For a male artist, people instantly assume they write their own music, but for women, they assume it’s all manufactured.”

That’s the “Blow Your Mind” singer spilling all of the tea (plus, wait until you see the incredible photo shoot) in May’s British GQ. Also on the table, the young starlet breaks mugs about the #MeToo movement, what fame means to her and serves out first details about her sophomore set (!!) and you can take a seat and revel in it all right here.

But first, there’s this performance of Lipa covering the late, great Amy Winehouse‘s “Tears Dry on Their Own” alongside baby makin’ crooner Gallant that you have to hear to believe. It’s that good.

5.Add “One Kiss” to your #summerscomin playlist……. Since it’s never too early to begin crafting those sun-kissed lists (see…January), there’s no reason why this palm tree worthy number shouldn’t head straight to the heart of your SPF’d up life. If you haven’t jumped into Mr. Harris’ latest romp featuring our girl, do it now as your general well-being will thank you,

It will also thank you when you repeat steps one-through-five, because if this lovely list proves anything, it’s that it’s Ms. Dua Lipa‘s world and we’re just starting to live–and revel–in all of it. gurl.

If there’s one thing that you should absolutely do in Phillythis week, it’s go see the Broadway smash–and Tony Award winning!!–Something Rotten!, which kicks off its week-long run at the Academy of Music tonight through this Sunday, March 4th.

Set in 1595, the story trails along with Nick and Nigel Bottom, two brothers who hilariously struggle to find success in the theatrical world, competing with the likes of their contemporary frenemy, William Shakespeare. A roaring romp from start to finish, Something Rotten! has acquired praise from across the globe with the Gazette spilling, “You couldn’t ask for a sillier more satisfying show for theater nerds and anyone who loves shows packed with elaborate dance numbers, double entendres and energy to spare.”

And there’s even some that are saying (perhaps the actors themselves?) that Something Rotten! “….is the funniest show in over 400 years.” While it’s easy to go on and on about Broadway’s daring Tony darling of a show, you must see it for yourself at the Academy of Musicthis week.

But first, here’s 5 reasons why–along with some truly fabulous clips!!–as to why there’s just something very, very special about Broadway’s Something Rotten!

1. It was destined to be a hit right from the very beginning…. Originally conceived as an idea conjured up by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick in the 1990s, the Broadway bound siblings eventually teamed up with composer John O’Farrell to write a few songs and a produce a stage treatment, which soon made their way to acclaimed producer Kevin McCollum in 2010. Although Something Rotten! was expected to have a pre-Broadway trial in Seattle in spring 2015, McCollum felt confident enough that he had a bona fide smash on his creative hands that he opted to open the show without the Seattle tryout when a Broadway theatre became available. And well, the rest is certainly stage history as the show officially opened in NYC on April 22nd, 2015 to rave reviews and of course eventually…..all of those Tony nominations (10to be exact) with the national tour soon following two years later. And the continuing of the Rotten journey is the reason why you should absolutely catch this wonderful show while it’s in the city until this Sunday.

2.The cast is all about the Broadway and Philly love…and marriage! Perhaps one of the best parts about the national tour of Something Rotten!(besides, well, all of it) is that three of its leads are all critically acclaimed theater connoisseurs along with being featured on the show’s original Broadway run. Yes, Rob McClure (Nick Bottom), Josh Grisetti (Nigel Bottom) and Adam Pascal (Shakespeare) have taken the Great White Way by storm and are guaranteed more than ready to serve Philly with their tremendous talents all week-long.

And as lucky love would have it, Mr. McClure gets to be married to lead Rottenactress Maggie Lakis (Nick’s equally hilarious wife, Bea) both on and off the stage! And you’re going to love this…..both Rob and Maggie are from Philly and got engaged right on stage at the Forrest Theatre back in 2008! And while we may not know just how they make it all work since marriage is also a high-profile job in itself, but we’re guessing the hijinks that ensue in this Mr. McClure’s hilariously helmed backstage video might just have something to do with it. Check it out and then get those tickets…now.

3.It’s got all of the delightful Broadway tunes you need in your life right now…. From the jazzed up opening number, “Welcome to the Renaissance” to “God, I Hate Shakespeare” to fan favorite, “A Musical,” not only does this spectacular stage spectacle have all of the eardrum grabbin,’ toe tappin’ music you could ever want from a Broadway show, but it all adds up to what’s sure to be a fabulous night out in Philly for you and yours this week. No further statements.

4.Or how about….. that time “Hard to Be the Bard” took over the White House?? Priceless.

5.Do you really need another reason after that? Absolutely not! So, get those tickets (right here!) before you feel absolutely rotten about missing the critically acclaimed Something Rotten! at the Academy of Music this week.

Yes, those are all of the stand out elements–if not just a few–that make up the now nearly two-decade lasting legacy of one Alecia Beth Moore, otherwise known to all of us as the one-and-only, P!nk.

While it’s easy for any one of us to sit around and spill about our favorite Ms. Moore moments in music time (“Feel Good Time” from Charlie’s Angels:Full Throttleand “God is a D.J.,”anyone? Yes.), it takes less time to just simply bow down and worship anything and everything she’s given us over the years and will no doubt continue to do so as the decades roll on.

And if you throw in her well received latest set, Beautiful Trauma(which is aiming to give her another chart-topping record), a much, much buzzed about electrified set on SNL this past weekend and a high-profile spot on this morning’s Good Morning America, there’s a few more reasons why all of us should forever worship P!nk.

Here’s ten more…..

1.”There You Go” The one that started….it all. No further statements.

2.”Lady Marmalade” 4 Lyfe…… Just ponder this for a music moment–and all tea, no shade–out of all of the lovely ladies on this Billboard Hot 100 dominating Moulin Rounge owned Labellerewire from 2001, which one is still the most relevant? And no, the answer’s not Lil’ Kim, Mya or (sigh) Xtina. Hey, at least they all nabbed a Grammy for this one. Go on, soul sistahs……

3.We’ll always understand “Mizzundastood” “L.A. told me you’ll be a pop star, all you have to change is everything you are,” chants P!nk on “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” The second single from her sophomore set, Mizzundastood, which is still the songstress’ best selling record with fifteen million in headphones worldwide.

So, why did the music kiss off work? Because this album was basically a big “fuck you” to her label Daddy, L.A. Reid, who had a hissy fit when P!nk wanted to transition from those basic Destiny Child beats from her debut, Can’t Take Me Home, (again..all tea no shade) into a more pop rock influenced sound.

But what it all boils down to like Alanis (she’s another pop diva who went from cookie cutter to cookie cruncher on her sophomore set) is that first….P!nk truly showed us that’s it’s all good to be your damn self and not part of the clique. Second….she truly fucking rocks.

And it all started right here, which is why we’ll always understand it all when it comes to her standout second studio effort.

“Get the Party Started” indeed, Ms. P!nk. Like, right now.

4.Sigh…….”Just Like a Pill”We fucking couldn’t back in the summer of ’02, and we still fucking can’t to what is arguably one of the best recorded pop rock ballads that’s ever graced the Billboardcharts. Plus, this video and those fucking rabbits. God damn, you, Alecia.

5.This Grammy performance…… Four words…”Glitter in the Air.” Again…no further statements. Just watch and try not to clutch your pearls while doing it. You god damn can’t.

6.And then there’s this pearl clutching moment…… Hey, we all have to take a header off of the stage at some point in our lives. But at the end of the day, it’s all about how you pick yourself up and carry on…all while dropping a few “F” bombs along the way, of course. You know, because life. Love you, gurl.

7.She knows a thing or twelve about love….. In case you’ve been living under a music rock for the past two decades, P!nk has had quite the fine gentlemen by her side during her rise to the top in that of professional motocross racer Carey Hart, whom she met at the 2001 X Games right here in Philly. Although the two split in 2003, they eventually got hitched in 2006 in Costa Rica and, well, split again three years later.

But lucky for all of us, the two crazy kids worked it out just a short time later and now have two beautiful children together–daughter Willow, 6, and a ten-month old baby boy, Jameson, all of whom are seemingly living that happily ever after kind of life. It just goes to show you that one, long-lasting commitments take a long time and a lot of work. (So, get off of those fucking apps and put it in, guys, girls and gays).

And two, without Ms. P!nk’s and Mr. Hart’s love woes tracks like “So What” (in which Hart also appeared in the video) and pretty much every song off of her 2012 Let’s Talk About Love record just wouldn’t have had the same impact on our music minds……that there ishope out there for the rest of us.

Plus, they’re just like so fucking cool together, aren’t they?

8.She’s a kick-ass Mommy….. As we’ve seen, beneath all of those Billboard hits, that undeniable sass and trademark kick ass attitude, P!nk’s parenting skills have got it going on. Whether it’s taking her kids on the road (they’ll be joining the diva on her upcoming Beautiful Trauma tour) to experience the world or teaching them strong family values and how not to be like forty-five, those adorable kids are truly lucky to have P!nk has their fabulous Mother.

But what truly makes us want to hand P!nk the Madukes of the Year Trophy was the speech she delivered during her acceptance when receiving this year’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Awardat this year’s VMAs. Dedicated to her daughter, Ms. Moore served out a beautiful buffet of wisdom laced words that didn’t just reign true to all of the upcoming lovely ladies of the world, but hit close to home for all of us, and well, just watch it over and over again. It’s hard not to.

Btw…”What About Us” is certainly not a love song..this now infamous speech explains it all. Yas, P!nk, yaaaas.

9.She’ll always be sort of underrated pop royalty……and we love her for that. If you ask anyone to list the divas that were responsible for changing the pop music game back in the late ’90s/early ’00s, their list would go as follows–Britney, Christina, Jessica and Mandy. Hell, some brave souls might just add Willa Ford.

However, one name that’s always omitted is P!nk‘s…and we truly have no idea why as her debut record came in 2000 right between Britney’s debut and “Oops,” so you know it was seriously right in the middle of all kinds of pop music shit goin’ down. Hmmm….maybe it’s because the choreography in the “Most Girls” video was in a class of its very own? Sigh..guess we’ll never know.

But what we do know is that P!nk knows she’s always been sort of “underrated.” “I’ve never won the popularity contest,” the singer recently spilled in a fascinating article with the New York Times (which you should read right here). “I was never as big as Britney or Christina. If you look at any paragraph about pop music, I don’t get mentioned — my name doesn’t come up. And yet, here I go again, right under the wave, duck-diving,” she spilled to the Times.

However, it’s all god damn good because you know what makes a true pop diva? One that not only is completely aware of her career and the direction it should follow (you listening, Mariah?), but one who still has the talent to back it all up, all while never abandoning her fans and giving it to us in a way that only she knows how to do…just by being fucking P!nk.

And for that, we’ll all be bowing down to anything and everything for the rest of our music lives.

10.Do you really need another fucking reason? Okay, well, how about that time she slayed Ms. Janet’s iconic “Miss You Much” choreography on MTV Icon?